


My Favorite Hour of the Day

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band), Radio 1 RPF
Genre: Angst, M/M, Prompt Fill, Sad!Louis, Secret Relationship, Smut, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-01
Updated: 2013-09-01
Packaged: 2017-12-25 08:27:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/950908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From a prompt sent to my Tumblr</p>
<p>Louis is an art student and Nick is his History professor. They didn't mean to hook up, but it happened and now they keep their relationship a secret.  But it's hard for both of them to act normal in class.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Favorite Hour of the Day

"You look so beautiful." Nick hummed, kissing Louis’ neck and waiting for him to come down from his high.

Louis didn’t respond. He never knew how to respond when someone said that. Was he beautiful? He must be for Nick to be taking this big of a risk with him.

It’s not like Louis meant to sleep with his History professor. It was something that just sort of happened. He just couldn’t help it; Nick is really attractive and he has these huge hands and when he asked Louis to stay after class, Louis couldn’t help but flirt with him.

Neither of them expected anything to come of it though. But after about half an hour of constant innuendos and thirsty eyes, Nick practically jumped at Louis to kiss him. Which of course ended with them hastily sneaking to Nick’s car, speeding to his house, and then fucking up against his wall… And again on his bed an hour later.

Which brings them here, Louis lying on his back and Nick between his legs. One of Louis’ hands carding through Nick’s hair and the other rubbing circles onto his back. It could not get any more stereotypical unless one of them lit a cigarette.

But Louis couldn’t stay there any longer. He couldn’t believe what he had just done! He slept with his teacher! And not only that, but the same teacher whose class Louis took a sick pleasure of disturbing. What did an art student need a history class for anyway? His attitude was why he had to stay after; Louis was acting up and Nick— Mr. Grimshaw— was going to scold him.

Obviously that didn’t happen and now Louis really needed to leave. He was supposed to watch his sisters that night anyway.

He kissed the top of Nick’s head and pushed him off so he could get up. Louis wanted to say something, but what do you say to this?

"Off so soon?" Nick said.

Louis shrugged and pulled on his pants. “Got things to do, places to be.” He threw on the rest of his clothes and looked back down at Nick. “Besides, you probably have a ton of papers to grade, _Mr. Grimshaw_.”

Nick cringed at his professional name and grabbed Louis’ arm. “Don’t do that okay? I feel so wrong about this as it is. I mean, you’re my student! I could lose my job if anyone finds out—”

"I know, I know!" Louis groaned. "I’m not stupid. I won’t tell anyone."

"I know you won’t." Nick said as he kissed Louis’ hand. "Alright, you can get going then. But don’t forget to study for your test on Wednesday."

Louis laughed and snatched his hand back, playfully flicking Nick’s ear. “Please, like _I’m_ going to study. Maybe I’ll just blow you for bonus points.”

"We’ll that wouldn’t be very fair to the other students. After all, I don’t want any of their mouths near my cock." Nick joked. It was nice to hear him joke. He did all the time in class but it was usually something intelligent about the material and Louis didn’t really get any of them.

He leaned down and kissed Nick one more time. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

They waved goodbye and somehow it was natural and not at all awkward. Louis grabbed a few more of his things that he had dropped by the door and made his way home, deciding maybe he wouldn’t tell his mother why he was late.

~~~

The test wasn’t so bad, even though Louis definitely did not study for it. Just because the professor just gave him the best sex of his life doesn’t mean he has to listen to him.

The multiple choice section was pretty easy; it was just the essay that Louis was struggling on. Not to mention he forgot to bring a blue pen. What the hell kind of teacher required a blue pen for essays? Stupid Nick that’s who.

Louis looked around him. He was in the center of the classroom, so the first couple rows hid his wandering eyes. They landed next to him on Harry, the smartest kid in class, desk. So Louis leaned over and checked to see if Harry had another pen; he did.

"Psst. Harry." Louis whispered as quietly as he could. "Haz I need your extra pen."

"Why didn’t you bring your own?" Harry asked quickly, eyes darting up to see if Mr. Grimshaw was looking.

"Because I’m an idiot, now give me the fucking pen!" That was a bit too loud.

"Tomlinson! Eyes on your own paper." Nick scowled at him.

Louis tried his best to hold in his smirk, and suppress the memories of Nick naked and kissing him from Monday. “So sorry _sir_ " he emphasized the sir and was satisfied by the obvious way Nick adjusted his seating. "I was just asking dear Harold here for a pen."

Nick rolled his eyes and they settled on Harry. “Go on Harry. And thank you for coming prepared.”

Louis held in a chuckle as he took the pen from Harry and they all went back to their business. He looked at the question in front of him, something about Ancient Athens compared to Ancient Sparta. Boring. He had enough prior knowledge to answer, so he decided to spice it up a bit.

He wrote a perfectly normal opening paragraph, completely guessing for his thesis, and then peaked around to make sure nobody was looking when he wrote the next part.

_You look fantastic today. Seriously if anyone ever says tweed isn’t sexy, they are a dirty liar. The things I want you to do to me right now… I wish you could just kick all the other students out and just take me on your desk. Can you imagine that? Shoving all of your things off the desk and me riding you. I would do it. Hell I would do it wearing your fucking tweed jacket._

He laughed to himself and looked up at Nick in time to catch him staring. Louis licked his lips and bit the lower one seductively, before winking and going back to the essay. He wrote a couple more serious paragraphs, all bullshit about the Greeks, and then stopped before the conclusion paragraph to have a little more fun.

_I’m serious you know. I really want you to fuck me again. You’re one of the best shags I had in a while. Better than my last boyfriend, bigger too. So much bigger. I wanna get with you Mr. Grimshaw. Want your big cock inside me again. I won’t tell anyone, I promise. I just wanna kiss you again, please? At least let me kiss you again. I like you Nick._

He wrote out the conclusion and put his, or rather Harry’s, pen down. He took one last look over the essay and picked up the rest of his test to turn in. Nick watched as Louis walked up to his desk and place the test down, neither of them breaking eye contact.

"The essay was killer, _Mr. Grimshaw_.” Louis spoke quietly. “Oh and I love the jacket.”

He sat back down, swaying his hips a bit more than usual on the walk back, aware that Nick would be staring at his bum the whole time. Which he was, mind you. When he was back at his seat, Nick’s cheeks were tinted pink and he was staring down at Louis’ essay with wide eyes. He shuddered and shook his head then looked back up at Louis, who was grinning wildly at him.

When the class was over and it was time for the students to leave, Nick cleared his throat and cocked an eyebrow at Louis. “Class dismissed, but Tomlinson? Stay after again. We need to talk about your um, test.”

A couple of the students sniggered at Louis as they grabbed their things and left. Like he cared though, they didn’t know why he was staying. Both men watched the last student leave and Nick got up to lock the door behind him. He walked back to his desk and picked up Louis’ test.

"Louis."

"Nick."

"That was very inappropriate of you." Nick said sternly. "How do you expect me to grade that essay with a raging hard on?"

"Doesn’t really sound like my problem." Louis said.

Nick sighed and dropped the test back down, then rubbed his temples with one of his hands. “Louis be serious, okay? We can’t do this, I could lose my job and you could lose your scholarships and it will just end in a mess. Monday was fun, and you were wonderful, but we just can’t.”

Now Louis was getting upset. He knew Nick would be a bit nervous, but he really liked him. It really wasn’t a big deal; they were both mature adults who could keep a secret. “I’m sorry about the essay, but I do like you. I know you like me too. I don’t know why you have to make this so difficult.”

"Me making it difficult?" Nick almost yelled. "You’re the one writing about me having sex with on my desk in an essay! I’m your professor for fucks sake!" He turned around and leaned on the chalkboard, trying to keep himself together. "I want to, but… It wouldn’t be right."

"Not right?" Louis sneered as he stood up from his desk. He walked up behind Nick and wanted so much to hold him, but he settled for a hand on his shoulder. "You’re joking right? It’s not like its illegal or anything! I’m 19 and you’re what? 26, 27?"

"28."

"Still young enough! And you admitted that what I wrote got you hard. You want me, Nick." Louis slid the hand down Nick’s shoulder and around to his front, the other hand joining them together. "You want all those things I wrote about don’t you?" He kissed Nick’s back. "You want to throw everything off your desk and fuck me right there. Right where you teach. I know you do."

"Louis… We can’t."

"You’re not sounding too sure about that anymore." Louis said and with one more kiss to Nick’s neck he was being shoved back against the desk.

"I’m not sure about anything right now." He said as he leaned down over Louis, hands clutching the desk next to his hips. "But god, I want to kiss you so much."

"Then—" Louis didn’t even get to finish before Nick was on him. He was kissing him and pulling at his shirt, bunching it up in his large hands. Louis kissed back immediately, throwing his hands around Nick’s neck and pulling him closer.

"What the hell are we doing?" Nick gasped against Louis’ lips.

Louis groaned and nipped at Nick’s mouth. “Thought we were making out.”

Now Nick was the one to groan and he collapsed his head against Louis’ chest. “I can’t believe I’m doing this again.”

"Stop thinking about it Nick!" Louis exclaimed. "Please just, stop thinking too much and take what you want."

"Promise this will just be between us?"

"I promise, now kiss me." Louis said as he pulled Nick back down. They kissed again and this time Louis could feel that Nick was more relaxed about it. His hands had moved off the desk and were slowly inching up Louis’ thighs, not stopping until his fingertips were under the boy’s shirt. Louis had placed his own hands on Nick’s shoulders and he was pulling the jacket off, letting it fall to the ground.

Before either of them knew it, Nick’s shirt was unbuttoned and hanging wide open, Louis’ tiny hands on his chest, and the younger boy’s own shirt was thrown on the ground, his pants open with Nick’s hand down them.

"N-Nick, do something." Louis pleaded as his professor kissed along his neck and jawline. But then Nick stopped all of his movements suddenly and looked up at Louis.

Both their faces were flushed and red, so worked up from their slight argument. “Shit, Lou I just remembered something. I’ve got a meeting with the department today.”

Louis groaned in frustration. “We’ll you can’t just leave me like this!”

"I won’t! I’m not it’s just… We can’t have sex right now, there isn’t enough time."

"We’ll what do you suggest?"

Nick ended up sucking Louis’ off, taking him deep and sucking hard, but not letting Louis move at all. Louis cried out his orgasm and Nick redressed both of them before kissing Louis on the cheek and helping him off the desk. He started to walk Louis to the door but the younger one stopped him and went back to the desk. He grabbed a pen and wrote his number quickly on a spare piece of paper.

Louis picked up his things and walked back to Nick at the door. “Call or text me okay?”

"Of course love." Nick said, kissing Louis one last, long time. He then opened the door and escorted Louis out.

~~~

They texted constantly on Thursday, mostly sexy things from Louis and nervous agreements from Nick. Sometimes Nick would remind Louis that he should be studying, Louis ignored those. Other times it was sweet messages or funny pictures or really anything that left Louis smiling and his tummy fluttering.

It was all nice until Louis got back to History class on Friday. He walked in and Nick looked up at him for a second before going straight back to his book. Louis didn’t think much of it though. They couldn’t be obvious or anything about… Whatever it was they were doing. So he just sat in his seat and stared longingly at him.

"Alright students. I have your tests all finished and I must say most of you were very disappointing." Nick said looking around the room.

He walked through the aisles, handing back tests and giving quick notes to each student. When he got Harry he stopped and smiled, telling him he had the top grade in the class and he was very impressed. Harry just beamed up at him and Louis rolled his eyes. Nerd.

But then he got Louis and shook his head, placing the test face down on the desk. “Maybe you should have paid more attention to the questions, Mr. Tomlinson, and less on other _distractions_. You can do better.”

Rude. Very rude actually. Louis flipped the test over and his eyes widened at the grade. 67 out of 100. What the hell? He went through and saw that he only missed a few of the multiple choices, which meant it was his essay he lost points on. He didn’t even bother to see what his grade on that was. He just scoffed and threw the test back front side down, crossing his arms over his chest.

What the fuck was wrong with Nick? I mean, Louis knew he had those two ridiculous paragraphs, but he was sure Nick knew they were a joke! How could he have been so pleasant to him all of yesterday and then pull this shit? Needless to say Louis didn’t pay attention at all that day. He just drew some sketches in his notebook. Of course after a while he realized he was drawing Nick’s eyes looked from how they looked after sex. This was crazy.

When class was finished it was Louis who made a conscious choice to stay and talk to Nick. He walked up as stood at Nick’s desk, mouth pursed and eyes angry. “Well?”

"Well what Louis?"

"Well what the fuck is up with my grade?" Louis barked.

Mick sighed and leaned back in his chair. “You missed a few of the multiple choices and then your essay was all over the place.”

"Is this about what I wrote about you? Because that was very obviously a joke." Louis sighed.

"No Lou, it’s not about that." Nick told him. "Because in between that you failed to actually answer the prompt given to you."

"Oh please. I talked about both cites for fucks sake."

"Yes but the prompt was to compare and contrast and you just gave basic outlines of each city. Nothing about them relatively to each other." Nick said and in a normal time, his demanding and intelligent voice would be turning Louis on, but right now it was just hurtful.

"You didn’t have to be so harsh when you gave it back." Louis said quietly. He shook his head and straightened himself out before glaring at Nick. "Whatever, I get it. See you Monday, _Mr. Grimshaw_.”

Nick called after Louis as he stormed out of the classroom, but Louis didn’t stop. He held back his emotions to keep from breaking down. He thought maybe Nick would at least be nice now if he was going to fail him.

Louis trudged to his apartment and slumped down on the couch next to his roommate when he got there.

"I see you’re in a pleasant mood then." Niall’s thick Irish accent rung in Louis’ ears when he spoke. Louis grunted and flopped down face first into Niall’s lap. "What’s wrong Lou?"

"Everything." Louis mumbled into Niall’s thigh.

Niall chuckled and stroked his soft brown hair. “Did something happen with that bloke you were texting?”

Louis snapped up and stared wide eyed at Niall. Shit. “I-I don’t know what you are talking about.”

"Oh come on!" Niall groaned. "Since Wednesday afternoon and all of yesterday you were checking your phone and blushing and giggling. You got a new man then?"

Louis crossed his arms and say back, not looking Niall in his eyes. “N-no. Well not really… Would you stop looking at me like that?”

Niall was grinning widely at him. “Who is he? Do I know him? Is he from the art program? Come on Louis tell me!”

"There’s nothing to tell!" Louis said. "We had an argument today anyway. It’s stupid okay?"

"I’m sorry Louis."

"It’s fine! I’m fine." Louis sighed. "I’m just gonna lie down for a bit."

He got up from the couch and made his way to his room, getting under the covers and pulling out his notepad that he had brought in with him. He looked over the many sketches and then stopped at the one he had drawn that day. It was scarily realistic even though it was just eyes, but it was as if Nick was staring right at him. Louis tossed the book across the room and threw a pillow over his head.

And then his phone buzzed.

_**From: Nicholas:** Louis I’m really sorry for this afternoon, I should have been more sensitive about it._

Louis rolled his eyes and put the phone back down, but of course not a moment later he got another message.

_**From: Nicholas:** Please talk to me Louis???? I’m very sorry and I just want to talk to you…_

Again Louis didn’t reply. But—

_**From: Nicholas:** Louis????? Come on love answer me. Baby please!!!_

_**To: Nicholas:** im not ur baby._

_**From: Nicholas:** and there he is!! I know you’re not my baby, and I know you’re pissed at me. You have every right to be. Just see me tonight alright? I’ll take you to dinner…_

_**To: Nicholas:** and why should I agree to that?_

_**From: Nicholas:** Because it could be our first date._

Louis sat stunned at Nick’s last message. A date? Nick really just asked him on a date? He couldn’t believe it to be honest, it was just a ploy for Louis to stop being mad at him. That had to be it. Still…

_**To:** Nicholas: Fine._

_**From: Nicholas:** Thank you Louis!!! You won’t regret this alright? I can pick you up around 8 and I’ll take you to this great restaurant. They have a different live band every week and I hear this one is fantastic._

Louis wasn’t sure about the whole live band thing; he figured Nick would have the oddest taste in music, but anything for a date with Nick. But then he realized if Nick picked him up, Niall would see him and Louis would be fucked. Niall, bless his heart, can’t keep a secret to save his life.

_**To: Nicholas:** I’d love to, but you can’t pick me up. My roommate is a student too and he’ll recognize you._

_**From: Nicholas:** Shit. Okay, do you wanna meet there? I can give you the address._

_**To: Nicholas:** Yes please! Niall can drive me an ill just make sure he leaves before he sees you._

They agree that that would be the best option and Nick sends him the address. Louis is still pretty mad, but he also really likes Nick so this could be worth it.

"Niall! Get your pale arse in here!" Louis yelled. And after a few moments Niall poked his head into Louis’ room.

"Yes dear?"

Louis jumped up from the bed, pulled Niall into the room, and threw open his closet door. “I might have a date and you might need to help me get ready.”

Niall snorted. “Louis you never really need my help to pick out a date outfit. But who is he anyway?”

"Still not telling you." Louis said as he pulled out a white sweater. "Were you gay and you saw me wearing this, would you fuck me?"

Niall rolled his eyes and took a look at the sweater. He took it from Louis and held it up against him. “Actually, it does make your skin tanner and your eyes seem bluer… Yeah if I were into blokes I’d fuck you.”

"Good!" Louis said as he tossed the sweater onto the bed behind him. "There was something else I needed to ask you. Do you think you could give me a ride to the restaurant?"

Niall raised his eyebrows. “What kind of date is he if he isn’t going to just pick you up himself?”

Louis but his lip. He had a feeling Niall would be suspicious about this. “Umm, err… Okay so he is from my classes but he isn’t out yet.” Oh yes this was actually convincing. “He just doesn’t want to be seen by anyone until he is comfortable enough for people to know about his sexuality.”

Niall shrugged looking convinced enough. “Well I wouldn’t tell anyone.”

"Oh please. You are the worst at keeping secrets." Louis scoffed.

"Am not!" Niall huffed. "Was that what you were fighting about today then?"

"Um, yeah that was it." Louis said quickly. He looked at a pair of dark skinny jeans and held them up for Niall. "What about these? Would you fuck me?"

Niall nodded but squinted at Louis. “Are you really just going on this date to fuck him? Isn’t it too soon?”

"Not if we already have…"

"Louis William Tomlinson!" Niall gasped dramatically. "You already had sex with him? When the hell did that happen?"

"After History on Monday."

"So that’s where you were! You’re mum was right pissed when you were late. Called here twice." Niall informed him.

"I know and I apologized! Now get out of here so I can change and then criticize my outfit for two hours." Louis shouted as he pushed Niall back through his bedroom door.

~~~

When 8 o’clock had almost rolled around, Niall drive Louis to the address given to him. He texted Nick the whole time and they agreed to meet inside. The place seemed a little sketchy from the outside and suddenly Louis was feeling a bit overdressed.

"You sure this is it Lou?" Niall asked nervously.

"Y-yeah this is it." Louis mumbled. Then he saw the band posters in the windows an felt more confident about it. "Don’t worry about me Ni."

"Okay… I’m assuming I’m not picking you up later."

Louis rolled his eyes with a smirk and got out of the car. “No and I wouldn’t worry about waiting up for me.” Louis winked and Niall laughed then drove off. 

Louis stood for a little longer just to make sure Niall didn’t come back to try and see who his date was. When he was sure his friend was gone, Louis slowly walked into the seedy place.

There was a man with hipster glasses standing at the host table and Louis figured he could help him.

"Excuse me? I’m looking for I’m, Nick? Err Grimshaw?" Louis asked.

The guy looked Louis up and down and smirked. “Uh, yeah he’s got a table just in front of the stage.”

"Okay thank you." Louis walked toward the stage and saw Nick’s signature quiffed hair. He got a certain skip in his step at the sight and walked a little faster.

Sadly he missed one of the chairs in his way and tripped a little, causing a slight crash to sound. Nick turned around and smiled when he saw Louis fixing himself and waving timidly. Louis took a look around to make sure nobody else saw him and then sat down next to Nick.

"I’m really glad you came Lou." Nick said.

"I’m still mad at you, just so you know. And now I’m in this godforsaken hipster paradise." Louis grumbled. "Honestly why am I bothering?"

"I do have a huge cock." Nick said bluntly. There was a beat of silence before both of them started laughing loudly. Thankfully nobody was onstage yet, so it didn’t matter how loud they were being. 

When they calmed a bit, Nick waved a waiter over for their drinks. They ordered and then Nick pulled them back to the matter at hand. “In all seriousness Lou, I’m very sorry for what I said in class today. I was out of line.”

Louis shrugged. “Thank you. I’m over it really. I’m sorry I got so pissy at you.”

"Well maybe you should have studied." Nick joked but Louis didn’t laugh.

"I think if we are going to do… Whatever this is… We should agree to not talk about class when we aren’t in it." Louis said.

Nick nodded in agreement. “Right. Sorry. I’m complete shit at this… What is this? What are we doing Louis?”

"I don’t know! I like you, I really like you… But like you are always so ready to point out, you’re my professor." Louis responded. "But… What do you want it to be?"

Nick took a deep breath and looked into Louis’ eyes. “I really want to date you, I do, but we can’t publicly, so maybe we could… I don’t know… Keep it between us for now.”

"What like secret boyfriends?" Louis asked.

"I guess…"

They paused but eventually Louis decided it would be the best thing to do. He wanted to be with Nick, he really did and this was the only way to do it. “Okay.”

Nick looked around and then moved his chair closer to Louis, kissing his cheek and holding his hand. The kiss lingered and made Louis’ breath hitch. He turned his head to kiss Nick properly and as they did, the band walked onstage.

It wasn’t actual that bad of a band, but it definitely confirmed Louis’ earlier suspicions of Nick having odd taste. They ordered and there weren’t that many good choices for food, so Louis settled for a salad. What he really loved was the wine. He’d never been on a date where he got to drink fancy wine like this. Nick’s age was certainly an advantage in that sense.

After about 45 minutes of playing, the band took a break and Louis and Nick were able to just talk normally for a bit. Nick didn’t really want to talk much about himself, he claimed he was very boring, so he just asked Louis a lot of questions.

Louis told him about his two you get sisters, twins named Daisy and Phoebe. He told him about how his mum got remarried when he was a toddle and Louis loves his stepdad so much, he took his last name. He told him about the art program he wanted to get into.

"I don’t know if I’ll get it." Louis explained. "Every year hundreds of people apply but only 30 students are selected. I have to turn in my portfolio on January 10th, which is still a while away, but I still need about 20 more sketches for it."

"From what I’ve seen of your little drawings on your notes, you’re very good." Nick said.

Louis blushed and looked away from Nick. “I didn’t know anyone was looking at those. But those aren’t exactly what I need for my portfolio.”

"What sort of things do you need to draw for that?" Nick asked, taking a sip from his wine. Louis looked back up at him and watched how Nick’s hand could practically wrap all the way around the glass.

"People, and their emotions. Just them at points where they are feeling something, pondering something." Louis sighed. "I like watching how people act and how their face changes with emotions, especially when they are trying to hide them. The small nuances in their eyes or lips. Those are the things I need, but it’s hard to find those sorts of things on real people."

"You can’t just make it up?" Nick asked.

"It’s not the same."

They talked for a little while longer until the band came back on. By now they had moved their seats next to each other, close enough for their legs to touch and for Louis to rest his head on Nick’s shoulder. Their fingers were crossed together on the table until the band started a slow song, at which point some of the other groups around them got up and started dancing. Nick got up himself and asked Louis to dance.

It was nice, the way Nick’s big hands felt on Louis’ lower back as he pulled him closer. The way their chests felt pressed together an Louis’ cheek rested just between Nick’s neck and collarbone. He had never noticed just how tall Nick was until then. Louis started tangling his dainty fingers with the hairs at the nape of Nick’s neck making him hum. They weren’t worried at all about being seen, about being caught and punished. They knew eventually they would have to worry, but for now it was just nice to sway in each other’s arms. The easy part.

~~~

The hard part came during Monday’s class again. They both knew they had to keep it all a secret but they didn’t realize just how hard that would be.

Louis had wanted to act completely normal, but he came in late to class and the look he got from Nick was plain disappointment, with a bit of want because messy, just woken up Louis was rather cute. He took the only open seat in the front row and went to pull out his books, but realized he forgot them.

"Shit."

"Tomlinson. How nice of you to show up, shame you couldn’t bother to come prepared." Nick scolded him.

And well. Louis wasn’t expecting that. He knew they had to act like they normally did, and normally that’s how Nick would react, but hasn’t he learned from last time to be nicer? Louis ignored the laughs from his classmates and sat with his arms crossed and head down. He couldn’t bear to look Nick in the eyes.

There was a tap on Louis’ shoulder and he turned to his right to find Harry handing him a price of paper.”For your notes.”

Louis gave him a small smile and took the paper. He got out a pencil and tuned into Nick’s lecture. They had moved into Ancient Rome now, and it was only slightly less boring than Greece.

After class Louis just ran out and didn’t even give Nick a second look. He couldn’t believe he was really going to act like complete shit to him again. It was embarrassing today too, because Louis didn’t mean for any of it. When he was joking around and making a scene before, he loved the laughs because that’s what he was going for. Today was different. Today Louis thought maybe he could just be a normal student that Nick ignored. It would have felt so much better to be ignored.

He got home and found a note from Niall waiting for him on the door.

>em>Your mother called and wants you over at 7 for dinner. I’m out with Liam. Be back late ;)

Figures his mum would make him come over for dinner on a day like this. But she made him come every week and he wasn’t about to say no. She and Louis’ stepdad were paying for both his tuition and his half of the rent. They were actually pretty wealthy so neither of them were complaining.

It also figured that not even a minute after walking into the flat, Louis’ phone was ringing with a call from Nick. He wanted to ignore it but he knew Nick wouldn’t stop bothering him until he did. “What do you want?”

_"I know you’re upset at me again, and I know I’m probably running out of second chances but here me out okay?"_

Louis stayed silent on his line and Nick took at as his cue to continue.

_"I don’t know what I’m doing Louis. I’m trying to act normal, like nothing is going on between us, but I don’t know how to do that. When you were late today I wanted to just let it go, because I know you slept in and I know it was because I kept you up late. And I just panicked because I’m not supposed to know that. I overreacted though. I know that and I’m sorry."_

Louis rubbed at his temples and bit his lip. It wasn’t fair that Nick could just say these things in class and then apologize and Louis would just give in. But he couldn’t help it. Something about Nick was just too sincere to not forgive at every chance. “You’re not out of second chances Nick. Not yet, but I swear to god they will run out very soon.”

_“Thank you Louis, really I am sorry. I’ll try harder to act normal, I will.”_

"I know you will." Louis looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was almost time to go the family dinner. "I have to go now, but I’ll talk to you later. Maybe we can have dinner tomorrow."

_"I’d love to, but I still have things to grade."_

"That’s fine. I’ll get take out and you can grade whatever it is you need to grade while I blow you under the table." Louis quickly hung up when he heard Nick moan and giggled because he really is a little shit. But Nick texted him anyway.

_**From: Nicholas:** I hate you actually… Okay no I don’t and you can do that as long as we don’t get anything on the papers._

_**To:** Nicholas: ;)_

~~~

There’s a saying that Louis thought was supposed to go “Everything has to get bad before it gets good,” but lately Louis is thinking maybe it should go the opposite way. Because for two months of secretly being with Nick, things had been going so well. He was nicer in class and Louis tried to behave more and even turn in his homework, sometimes. Nobody seemed to suspect a thing.

And then Louis was moping around at a party and heard the biggest gossips in the world saying things about him. He was just hanging out in a corner, sipping disgusting beer, he had gotten used to drinking wine so much with Nick that everything else tasted like crap, and wishing that he didn’t have to be there when the girls stopped in the doorway. They saw him, but clearly didn’t think he could hear them because their annoyingly bratty voices were ringing through his ears.

"Oh my god it’s Tomlinson. Do you know what I heard about him?"

"No! What?"

"Apparently he’s been sleeping with that fit history professor! You know Grimshaw?"

"Holy fuck, no way! how do you know that?"

"Well, I know a guy, who knows a girl, whose roommate is in class with him and apparently they are always flirting with each other and checking each other out."

"Okay, but how do people know they are fucking?"

"Supposedly Grant totally saw them fucking in Mr. Grimshaw’s car at some park in the middle of the night. He said he was sure it was them because Louis was moaning like really loud and Grimshaw told him to shut up. He used his name and everything. And like, everybody knows Grimshaw has that really nice car."

"O-M-G Tomlinson is such a slut! You know, I heard he was like, failing that class at the beginning of the year and never turned in anything. Maybe he’s fucking for grades or something."

"He so would do something like that! I mean, you can’t be sure it was actually them but come on…”

The rest of their conversation was drowned out by the fact that Louis’ worst nightmares had been realized. They were caught. Someone saw them and now people were talking about it. And they were noticing how different they were acting in class and oh fuck this could not be happening.

Louis waited until the girls left before he was bolting out the door, not bothering to try and find Niall and tell him where he had gone. He ran until his legs hurt and he couldn’t move another inch, then he collapsed in a patch of grass and pulled out his phone. After calling twice and then three rings of the current call, Nick answered.

_"Louis? Why on earth are you calling at this time of night?"_

"They know Nick." Was all Louis could muster up. "Someone saw us and while people don’t know for sure, they are suspicious, and we are going to get caught, and you are going to be fired, and I am going to get kicked out, and—"

_"Louis! Please calm down love. Now, who caught us? And where?"_

"Um some guy named Grant, I don’t even know him, and he saw when we were…" Louis paused and took a deep breath. He didn’t want the next part to come out like was blaming Nick, because that specific date was his idea. "When we went to that park and I rode you in your car a couple days ago."

_"Shit. This is all my fault then. I knew we shouldn’t have been out and I made you go anyway. I’m so sorry Louis."_

"You haven’t apologized to me in a long time." Louis whispered. It was true though; Nick hadn’t fucked up and done anything wrong in so long. "It’s not your fault, but I don’t know what to do."

_"You said they didn’t know for sure right? Well… and I really hate to say this, but maybe we should go back to how we were acting before."_

"What are you talking about?" Louis asked.

_"I mean, when you disturbed class and I would scold you. Obviously we would know that we don’t mean any of it."_

"I d-don’t know if I can do that Nick. I like how things are now." Louis whined.

_"I know you do, but if it will get people off our backs…"_

Louis groaned but agreed. It would be for the best after all.

~~~

It was all doom and gloom from then on. Louis found it very hard to go back to his class clown ways, but it really seemed like Nick had no problem lecturing him. To make it worse, nick got into the habit of complimenting Harry and even comparing Louis’ attitude and work to his in front of the whole class.

It was humiliating. And sure, the make-up sex was great later, but Louis wasn’t satisfied. To make it worse, his sketches for his portfolio were becoming more and more dark. They were still of strangers, but now along with the emotions he could read from them he started adding dark figures and shadows. Some of them even looked like demons in the end. The worst came when Louis woke up one morning after drunkenly sketching all night and finding he had drawn the devil in his notebook.

But it wasn’t just any devil. This one was skinny and lanky and had freckles around his eyes and quiffed, curly hair. This one was Nick.

But he didn’t hate Nick and he didn’t think he was evil, or bad, he just hated their situation. He wished he was just a little bit older and Nick was a little bit less his professor and they could just be together. He wanted everyone to see the way Nick would hold him when they kissed, or the goose bumps Louis would get when their hands touched. None of it was fair and it was killing Louis.

"Harry this paper was excellent. So much so that I think I’ll show it to next semester’s class as an example." Nick said, handing back yet another perfect essay from the ever perfect Harry Styles.

"Wow, Mr. Grimshaw! Thank you so much." Nerd. Honestly, just because he was some genius didn’t mean Nick had to hold his ass up on a pedestal.

Nick moved along and got to Louis’ desk. “Again an average work Tomlinson. Maybe you should ask Harry for help.”

Louis glared at him and then at Harry. No fucking way he was actually suggesting that. “Thanks but I’m just fine.” He said, snatching the essay out of Nick’s hands.

"Trust me you aren’t." Nick spoke quickly and not all quietly for just Louis to hear. He was being a right dick today and Louis didn’t know why. It’s not like there were any administrative people around to be extra careful around. It was bullshit and it was breaking Louis’ heart.

He never cried for Nick. Never felt the need to waist tears over what he knew was fake, but it was getting so hard to differentiate between reality and the show they had to put on for the school. Even when they were by themselves sometimes Nick would comment on Louis’ grades or talk about how great and smart Harry was.

But the worst of it all came the day it snowed a little too early and Louis slipped in the ice. He had been carrying his sketchbook, getting a nice picture of a couple ice skating together on the pond, the second to last picture for his portfolio. He left out a lot of the sketches he made of demons and Nick, so it took a lot longer to finish than he had hoped.

There were a few picture of Nick that he did keep in it though. The judges of this program weren’t from the University so they would have idea who Nick was and Louis felt okay with including him. The best one of Nick, in Louis’ opinion, was of him after they made love for the first time. Yes there was a difference from that and fucking. It was about a month after they first became official and Louis had finally showed Nick his sketchbook. Needless to say the work took Nick’s breath away and he wanted to do the same for Louis.

The drawing was of Nick asleep against the pillow, with the blanket just covering his bottom half. His hair was flopped all over his face and his lips were parted slightly in a smile. Louis remembers everything about that night and recently he has been wanting to go back to it.

He was walking to class right after and that’s when it happened. The steps were so slippery and Louis’ shoes didn’t have any traction and he just fell right over them. In the commotion to catch himself from his fall, Louis threw his book aside and didn’t even know it had opened and landed in the snow in the first place.

A few of the pages came out and as soon as they touched the icy substance they were ruined. The water smudged the pictures and Louis couldn’t save them. He cried out and ran to collect as many as he could, but they were ruined. And the worst of it was his very favorite picture of Nick was one of them.

It was the last one he caught and when he saw that the page was so wet it ripped, his heart broke into a million pieces. His best work of his favorite person and it was just destroyed. As if it couldn’t hurt more, Louis remembered that he was going to that very person’s class right now. To sit and have to listen and pretend with the fake version of nick that he hated.

So he was late. He was late and he sat right down and didn’t even bother to listen to the snarky comment Nick made today. Everything was just so fucking awesome today for Louis.

It wasn’t until it was time for Nick to ask the class some questions that Louis finally snapped. He wasn’t paying attention, just looking down at an empty page and questioning everything in his life, and Nick asked him something. Louis did hear the class laughing and harry next to him call his name. “God what?”

"I asked you a question Tomlinson. You never will learn to just pay attention will you?" Nick said, that usual fake pretentiousness sounding in his voice. Louis hated it. "How about you Harry? I’m sure you know the answer, after all, you _always_ do that reading.”

And that was it. Louis snapped up from his seat and took one last biting stare at both Harry and Nick before running out of the classroom. This time though, instead of running to his flat mope in his room and not tell Niall a damn thing, he went to Nick’s place. He didn’t have his own key, but he knew where the spare was kept, so Louis let himself in and waited.

It was a few hours later that Nick got home and Louis cried. He finally cried for all of the pain Nick had caused him by being fake. By hiding it all behind insults and sarcasm. And Nick just stared at him from the doorway, killing himself inside for causing this.

"I can’t do it anymore," Louis managed through the tears. "I can’t take any of this hiding and rudeness and bullshit. I can’t take it how my life just fucking revolves around when I can be free with you. But mostly I can’t take how I’ve seemed to lost the ability to know what’s fake and what isn’t."

"What’s fake?" Nick asked. He slowly made his way into the flat and sat down next to Louis on the couch. "Louis what’s fake is anything I say in that classroom or around your peers. Nothing about how I feel when we aren’t hiding is not real."

"We’re always hiding Nick!" Louis spat. "Even when we are alone, we are hiding. But today was the worst. Do you always have to say something? Do you always have to comment on me and how awful I am and how wonderful Harry is? If he is so great, then why don’t you just fuck him and hide a relationship with him from the world?"

"Because I don’t love him Louis." Nick said so quietly that Louis nearly missed it.

He got up from the couch and looked down at Nick. “Fuck you! You can’t just say that and think it’s okay! I was clearly upset today and you could have said nothing, but you didn’t. Honestly sometimes it’s like you enjoy hurting me!”

"I don’t Louis, I don’t!" Nick insisted. He stood up as well and reached out for Louis, but the smaller one just hit his hands away.

"Don’t touch me!" Louis yelled. He let tears flow freely down his cheeks now and he backed away from Nick. "What do you even want from me anymore? Do you want to just break up? Would all of this just be easier for you? You can act however the fuck you want to me in class and fail me and not have to worry about if I’ll let you fuck me later! Does that sound better? Is that what you want?"

Nick didn’t know what to say. He knew he made so many mistakes with Louis, and each one made him hate himself even more, but he never wanted Louis to leave. He never would have thought he could cause this much pain to someone he loved. “Is that what _you_ want? Because if you left me, if I never got hold you again or kiss you or tell you I love you, I would die. I would just be completely dead inside.”

"I don’t know what I want."

They were both silent for a moment before Nick stepped forward and Louis didn’t stop him. He didn’t stop him when Nick clasped his cheeks and pulled him forward. And he didn’t stop him when Nick kissed him, gasping and whining and just wanting. It wasn’t much different from anything of their other kisses, just more desperate. More full of something that needed to be proved.

"What I want," Nick whispered when he pulled back from the kiss. "Is just you. I want to show people that I love you, but I don’t want you to lose everything you’ve worked for. I don’t even care about my job at this point. I just want you to be able to stay and get into that art program and not be held back from anything because I selfishly got you in trouble."

"Can you promise it will be different again? Can you promise that you will go back to being nice or not even saying anything to me at all?" Louis asked. The fact of the matter was, they needed to keep this secret, but it didn’t mean they had to be dicks about it. "And for fucks sake enough with complimenting Harry! I get it, he’s smart, but come on, we both know you prefer big-assed, artsy boys instead of skinny, pale, nerds."

They laughed and kissed and Nick promised again that he would stop being such an idiot about everything. But then Louis remembered what had happened before class and he just couldn’t help but break down again. He explained to Nick everything and Nick just felt like even more shit for his behavior.

"I don’t even care about most of the ruined ones, but the one of you? That was from the best moment I can remember and it’s just gone. I’ll never get that back." Louis cried.

Nick lifted his chin between two fingers and kissed Louis’ forehead. “You won’t get that exact moment back, but I can give you more. I’ll make it up to you.”

He pulled Louis into the bedroom and it was again different from other times they did this. Nick undressed Louis slowly and quietly, kissing each newly uncovered portion of skin. He let Louis walk back to the bed and lay down while he removed his own clothes and both of them could feel the desperate tension in the room. They needed this reminder of each other’s love and how nothing else, no secrets or anything, mattered when they could have moments like this.

Nick opened Louis slowly, but only using two fingers because Louis whimpered and whined that he couldn’t wait for more. He knew it might hurt more, but he sort of needed that.

"Come on, I need you Nick." Louis moaned and pulled at Nick’s hair to get him to stop kissing his neck and just get inside him already.

The taller man nodded and leaned back to grab a condom, and when he turned back his breath was just taken away. Louis looked so wrecked and pretty already with his hair in a mess and his eyes red from crying earlier, but dark from how turned on he was. Nick bit open the condom with his teeth but Louis took it from his hands and threw it away.

"Not today Nick. I’m ready to just feel you." Louis said wrapping his legs around Nick’s waist. Nick doesn’t really know how to respond to that other than a low moan from the back of his throat and to slick up his cock quickly.

It’s so much slower than normal. So much more needy than normal. There are more grabs at more skin and more bitten marks on necks and just more of everything. The moans and whimpers are louder. The hands are gripping tighter and the thrusts are deeper, harder. Everything is just so much more, because if Nick is going to help Louis replace that portrait, he is going to make sure the new one is from a moment so much better.

And the way Nick is choking out his breaths, face pressed hard into Louis’ neck has Louis clawing at his shoulders. And the way Louis is digging in his tiny fingernails in, leaving marks, has Nick considering permanently tattooing them so he can have a little piece of this with him always. The way Louis is breathing and crying out right against Nick’s ear has him clutching the younger boy’s hips so tight they might bruise.

But it’s getting closer to the climax and Louis isn’t sure if he wants it to end, because he’s never felt this close to Nick. He’s never felt this loved or wanted by him. And it’s making up for all those times Louis had to sit in class and pretend not to love him and take the abuse he was forced to throw at him. But the more Louis thinks about Nick saying shit to him in class the more he remembers just how broken Nick looked when he said those things. He can see it clearly in his eyes that everything he was saying was meant to be the opposite. It’s all wrong and only this is right. Only now.

Nick’s hand is moving to Louis’ cock now and it’s all even closer. The fall over the edge is right in Louis’ grasp and his hands are scratching down Nick’s back and his own is arching up and he doesn’t even remember screaming Nick’s name but he hears his voice do just that.

And Nick hasn’t come yet, but Louis can feel his own on his stomach. He’s shaking and begging for Nick. He wants to feel Nick join him in the peaceful place over the edge and then keep this moment, this night, forever. Nick is pulling out and Louis watches as his hand furiously works his cock before he is coming all over Louis’ tummy. And Nick rolls over, both of them taking deep breaths and struggling to come down.

"You look so beautiful." Nick whispers with an unsteady voice and a kiss to Louis’ shoulder. Louis is brought back to the first time and when Nick said the exact same thing to him and how that was probably the real moment Louis knew he wasn’t going to let his professor go.

He still doesn’t know how to respond when people say that to him though. Nick has been working on that with him for some time now and sometimes it seems like Louis really believes him, while other times he knows Louis doesn’t. Tonight he believes him though.

Louis can’t move for a little while, he wants to drink all these feelings in, so Nick is the one to clean him up. He’s the one to grab Louis’ sketch book, a few pencils, and even a pen just in case, and holds them until Louis is ready.

Louis closes his eyes, lets out a deep breath, and takes the materials from Nick. “Just lie down for me okay? Think about that, us, but don’t look at me. I don’t want you to be looking at me, just remembering me.”

So Nick turns his head and it’s very easy to remember what just happened, it was only minutes ago. But he does have trouble not looking at Louis and he gets scolded by him several times, but it’s very nice when the tables have turned in that way. He likes when Louis gets to boss him around because he hates the fact that he has to do it to him.

~~~

It’s January 10th and Louis has just submitted his work and he is dying already with anticipation. Nick has been trying to calm him down and assure him that his art is beautiful and perfect and if the judges don’t see that then they are completely blind. Louis is snapping at him every second and throwing the papers Nick was trying to grade around because he doesn’t believe and therefore Nick should not be concentrating on other things.

The semester of having Louis in his class ended so happily with Louis telling Niall and only getting yelled at a little for how dangerous and crazy it is. In the end Niall just wants Louis to be happy and him and Nick get along so it’s all just fine. They still haven’t told anyone else though. Louis may not be in his class but he is still a student and that just wouldn’t look well for the school’s reputation. At least that’s what they assume higher authority would say to them.

It’s all nice because they don’t have to pretend anymore that they annoy each other. Well, they do annoy each other but only in the best way possible and it always ends with cuddly, happy sex. Sex they can now have at Louis’ place sometimes because Niall said they could do that.

Nick wants Louis to move in, but Louis won’t do it until Nick meets his family, and who knows when that will happen. How do you tell your mother that you fell in love with who thought was your least favorite professor? Also mum, he is the reason I was late that one time to watching the twins because we were fucking instead of him yelling at me. See? Louis just doesn’t think she would react well to that.

Louis also isn’t a teenager anymore, which makes Nick feel a million times more comfortable, because age gaps just seem so much bigger when you are in different decades.

It’s on February 1st when Louis finds out about the program. There is an envelope from the coordinators in his mail and while it is the big envelope, something in Louis’ gut is telling him that could just be a trick. It could be a rejection and just another application info packet for the next year. Louis doesn’t want to wait another year.

He called Nick over and made Niall leave, because this afternoon was either going to end in celebratory sex or comfort sex and Niall shouldn’t be there for that. They sit on the couch with the envelope on the coffee table and Louis just refuses to open it.

"I can’t do it!" Louis whines. "They hated me I know it. They hated my pictures and I’m never going to be an artist. It’s going to be partially your fault because half those drawings were of you."

Nick had gotten used to Louis saying that for the past month. Every time the program was brought up Louis would end it with Nick being to blame if he didn’t get in because he doesn’t show emotions well and Louis couldn’t draw it correctly. Nick would assure him that even if he didn’t show emotions well, Louis would be able to pull them out of the cracks and make it good.

Louis hates how perfect Nick is.

Nick reaches down on the coffee table and picks up the envelope. “Do you want me to just do it?” Louis nods. Nick sighs, rolling his eyes and opening the envelope. He clears his throat. “Ahem. ‘Dear Louis William Tomlinson, We the London Academy of Modern and Realism Arts are—’ _oh_. Oh my.”

Nick stops and Louis is shaking his head with wide eyes because his tone is not sounding good and all of Louis’ dreams are being crushed. “ _No._ No no no no!”

He tries to get up and run away but Nick is pulling him back down, this time on his lap and shoving the letter in his face. “Let me finish! ‘are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into—’”

He doesn’t get to finish again because Louis is screaming. He’s screaming and grabbing the letter and jumping off the couch. He reads the rest and throws the letter in the air with the biggest smile Nick has ever seen. “I got in! I actually got in!”

"I’m so proud of you!" Nick exclaims as he joins Louis off the couch and pulls him a tight embrace. "This is _amazing_ Louis! _You_ are amazing!”

For the first time Louis is truly, undeniable believing him. He’s pulling Nick down for a kiss and saying he knows and he feels so perfect. It all feels very perfect actually.

Nick doesn’t get to grade some tests that he really needed to give back the next day because Louis doesn’t let him leave their bedroom, really their bed at all, and he doesn’t care because at least he isn’t having to worry about one of them actually being Louis’ test.

And it’s not like their time with secrets is done, far from it, but it’s that they aren’t putting on a show. Nick isn’t pretending that he prefers anyone to Louis, and Louis is actually paying attention in classes because he doesn’t think he needs to annoy Nick to dispel suspicions. And eventually they will come out with it to more people and at first they’ll get some very disproving looks, and Nick will have to defend his job to the death, and Louis’ mother will get worried about the age difference, but they will be happy.

And they will be free.

_**FIN** _


End file.
